Rural Sports: A Georgic - Canto Ii. Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AABBCDEEFF GGHHIJKK LLMMNNOOCCPP CCAAQQRRSSCCJJJTQQUU VVJJOOGGWWAAQQJJJJQQ XXEEYYZZQQ A2A2JJGGB2B2B2QQ AAXXHHC2C2YYD2D2JJE2 F2G2G2GGH2H2QQI2I2 J2J2K2K2L2L2JJ M2M2JJJJN2N2GGJJJJ O2O2P2P2ZZAAQ2Q2QQR2 S2T2T2GGU2U2D2D2V2W2 H2H2 X2X2Y2Z2U2U2A3A3

Now sporting muse draw in the flowing reinsA
Leave the clear streams a while for sunny plainsA
Should you the various arms and toils rehearseB
And all the fisherman adorn thy verseB
Should you the wide encircling net displayC
And in its spacious arch enclose the seaD
Then haul the plunging load upon the landE
And with the soale and turbot hide the sandE
It would extend the growing theme too longF
And tire the reader with the watery songF
-
Let the keen hunter from the chase refrainG
Nor render all the ploughman's labour vainG
When Ceres pours out plenty from her hornH
And clothes the fields with golden ears of cornH
New now ye reapers to your task repairI
Haste save the product of the bounteous yearJ
To the wide gathering hook long furrows yieldK
And rising sheaves extend through all the fieldK
-
Yet if for silvan sport thy bosom glowL
Let thy feet greyhound urge his dying foeL
With what delight the rapid course I viewM
How does my eye the circling race pursueM
He snaps deceitful air with empty jawsN
The subtle hare darts swift beneath his pawsN
She flies he stretches now with nimble boundO
Eager he presses on but overshoots his groundO
She turns he winds and soon regains the wayC
Then tears with goary mouth the screaming preyC
What various sport does rural life affordP
What unbought dainties heap the wholesome boardP
-
Nor less the spaniel skilful to betrayC
Rewards the fowler with the feather'd preyC
Soon as the lab'ring horse with swelling veinsA
Hath safely hous'd the farmer's doubtful gainsA
To sweet repast the unwary partridge fliesQ
With joy amid the scatter'd harvest liesQ
Wandering in plenty danger he forgetsR
Nor dreads the slavery of entangling netsR
The subtile dog scowrs with sagacious noseS
Along the field and snuffs each breeze that blowsS
Against the wind he takes his prudent wayC
While the strong gale directs him to the preyC
Now the warm scent assures the covey nearJ
He treads with caution and he points with fearJ
Then lest some centry fowl the fraud descryJ
And bid his fellows from the danger flyT
Close to the ground in expectation liesQ
Till in the snare the fluttering covey riseQ
Soon as the blushing light begins to spreadU
And glancing Phoebus gilds the mountain's headU
His early flight the ill fated partridge takesV
And quits the friendly shelter of the brakesV
Or when the sun casts a declining rayJ
And drives his chariot down the western wayJ
Let your obsequious ranger search aroundO
Where yellow stubble withers on the groundO
Nor will the roving spy direct in vainG
But numerous coveys gratify thy painG
When the meridian sun contracts the shadeW
And frisking heifers seek the cooling shadeW
Or when the country floats with sudden rainsA
Or driving mists deface the moist'ned plainsA
In vain his toils the unskilful fowler triesQ
While in thick woods the feeding partridge liesQ
Nor must the sporting verse the gun forbearJ
But what's the fowler's be the muse's careJ
See how the well taught pointer leads the wayJ
The scent grows warm he stops he springs the preyJ
The fluttering coveys from the stubble riseQ
And on swift wing divide the sounding skiesQ
The scattering lead pursues the certain sightX
And death in thunder overtakes their flightX
Cool breathes the morning air and winter's handE
Spreads wide her hoary mantle o'er the landE
Now to the copse thy lesser spaniel takeY
Teach him to range the ditch and force the brakeY
Now closest coverts can protect the gameZ
Hark the dog opens take thy certain aimZ
The woodcock flutters how he wavering fliesQ
The wood resounds he wheels he drops he diesQ
-
The towering hawk let future poets singA2
Who terror bears upon his soaring wingA2
Let them on high the frighted hern surveyJ
And lofty numbers paint their airy frayJ
Nor shall the mounting lark the muse detainG
That greets the morning with his early strainG
When 'midst his song the twinkling glass betraysB2
While from each angle flash the glancing raysB2
And in the sun the transient colours blazeB2
Bride lures the little warbler from the skiesQ
The light enamour'd bird deluded diesQ
-
But still the chase a pleasing task remainsA
The hound must open in these rural strainsA
Soon as Aurora drives away the nightX
And edges eastern clouds with rosy lightX
The healthy huntsman with the cheerful hornH
Summons the dogs and greets the dappled mornH
The jocund thunder wakes the enliven'd houndsC2
They rouse from sleep and answer sounds for soundsC2
Wide through the furzy field their rout they takeY
Their bleeding bosoms force the thorny brakeY
The dying game their smoking nostrils traceD2
No bounding hedge obstructs their eager paceD2
The distant mountains echo from afarJ
And hanging woods resound the flying warJ
The tuneful noise the sprightly courser hearsE2
Paws the green turf and pricks his trembling earsF2
The slacken'd rein now gives him all his speedG2
Back flies the rapid ground beneath the steedG2
Hills dales and forests far behind remainG
While the warm scent draws on the deep mouth'd trainG
Where shall the trembling hare a shelter findH2
Hark death advances in each gust of windH2
New stratagems and doubling wiles she triesQ
Now circling turns and now at large she fliesQ
Till spent at last she pants and heaves for breathI2
Then lays her down and waits devouring deathI2
-
But stay advent'rous muse hast thou the forceJ2
To wind the twisted horn to guide the horseJ2
To keep thy seat unmov'd hast thou the skillK2
O'er the high gate and down the headlong hillK2
Canst thou the stag's laborious chase directL2
Or the strong fox through all his arts detectL2
The theme demands a more experienc'd layJ
Ye mighty hunters spare this weak essayJ
-
Oh happy plains remote from war's alarmsM2
And all the ravages of hostile armsM2
And happy shepherds who secure from fearJ
On open downs preserve your fleecy careJ
Whose spacious barns groan with increasing storeJ
And whirling flails disjoint the cracking floorJ
No barbarous soldier bent on cruel spoilN2
Spreads desolation o'er your fertile soilN2
No trampling steed lays waste the ripen'd grainG
Nor crackling fires devour the promis'd gainG
No flaming beacons cast their blaze afarJ
The dreadful signal of invasive warJ
No trumpet's clangor wounds the mother's earJ
And calls the lover from his swooning fairJ
-
What happiness the rural maid attendsO2
In cheerful labour while each day she spendsO2
She gratefully receives what heaven has sentP2
And rich in poverty enjoys contentP2
Such happiness and such unblemish'd fameZ
Ne'er glad the bosom of the courtly dameZ
She never feels the spleen's imagin'd painsA
Nor melancholy stagnates in her veinsA
She never loses life in thoughtless easeQ2
Nor on the velvet couch invites diseaseQ2
Her home spun dress in simple neatness liesQ
And for no glaring equipage she sighsQ
Her reputation which is all her boastR2
In a malicious visit ne'er was lostS2
No midnight masquerade her beauty wearsT2
And health not paint the fading bloom repairsT2
If love's soft passion warms her happy swainG
An equal passion in her bosom reignG
No home bred jars her quiet state controlU2
Nor watchful jealousy torments her soulU2
With secret joy she sees her little raceD2
Hang on her breast and her small cottage graceD2
The fleecy ball their little fingers cullV2
Or from the spindle draw the length'ning woolW2
Thus flow her hours with constant peace of mindH2
Till age the latest thread of life unwindH2
-
Ye happy fields unknown to noise and strifeX2
The kind rewarders of industrious lifeX2
Ye shady woods where once I used to roveY2
Alike indulgent to the muse and loveZ2
Ye murmuring streams that in meanders rollU2
The sweet composers of the pensive soulU2
Farewell The city calls me from your bowersA3
Farewell amusing thoughts and peaceful hoursA3

John Gay



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